Fade to Black
by Seph's Madisen Moss
Summary: The evolution of relationships are not always positive. And sometimes when you have a choice, you don't even know. Don't even realize. Wally wished he had known, realized, and found Option Three. How Wally West and Richard Grayson went from brothers to acquaintances in five years.


**Before you begin I do have to inform you. Artemis is not being blamed by me; she's just one of the main catalysts. I just see Wally being the type of guy who would focus on one thing in specific in serious relationships.**

It had been gradual at first, how their friendship fell apart. Just a missed weekend here and there.

"_Sorry man, I have a date with Artemis tonight," A cackle._

"_Finally! Have fun, Walls,"_

Then some intrusions in their time as just Dick and Wally.

"_Hey dude, can Artemis join in?" A slight hesitation._

"_Of course, how could I refuse my best friend _and _his girlfriend? Just let me find my shades."_

And then it stopped becoming an unpleasant surprise if Wally missed something.

_Wally approached sheepishly. Robin looked up at him for a moment before returning to his laptop._

"_You can't make it can you?"_

"_Sorry dude. How'd you know?"_

"_Lucky guess. It's fine, I invited Babs,"_

"_Next time, dude," Robin didn't even bother to look up this time._

"_Sure,"_

And then specific dates were forgotten, dates that should never have been.

"_Where's Rob?" KF asked Con. The boy shrugged._

"_Said something about a cemetery," KF's eyes widened._

"_What day is it?"_

"_April 1__st__…?" Conner watched in confusion as Kid Flash blurred to the zeta tube._

_But when Wally arrived at Gotham Cemetery all that remained were footsteps in the mud and two bouquets of roses in front of the graves of John and Mary Grayson. Wally could see Bruce's glare and Alfred's disappointed eyebrow already and he could imagine John and Mary's expressions as well. _

From there invitations were given less.

"_So you can come?" Robin asked Barbara Gordon or rather Batgirl._

"_Yeah, I can't wait," She answered before Wally zoomed over._

"_Come where?"_

"_Just an end-of-school party," Robin answered. Wally put an offended hand to his chest._

"_And you didn't invite me?" He said teasingly, though a bit of hurt lurked in the background._

"_You told me you had an anniversary dinner planned this weekend. I didn't want to make you feel guilty,"_

"_Oh,"_

And then their 'other half' stopped being one of the first to know.

"_Dude, when did Barbara become your girlfriend? What happened to Zatanna?" Wally asked after catching the two alone._

"_Wally… I broke up with Zatanna five months ago."_

And then they grew up, changed and left the other behind.

_Robin came in one day, but he wasn't Robin._

"_Team, meet Nightwing,"_

"_When did you come up with this?" Wally questioned._

"_I started considering the idea a few months ago. I drew up a few sketches a week or two ago and tried to call you but you said you were busy, so I decided to leave you alone."_

And then they separated.

"_Wally and I are leaving," Artemis announced. Nightwing approached Wally afterwards, a minute surprised look still present on his features._

"_When did you decide this?"_

_Wally looked away, a little uncomfortable._

"_A few weeks ago, we've spent the rest of it preparing."_

"_Why didn't you tell me?"_

"_Artemis and I didn't want to put that knowledge on you."_

"_Oh," there was an awkward pause, one that would never have been present before._

"_Well, call, okay?" Wally said, trying to break it, to escape._

"_Sure," He replied, giving a polite smile, though it was only a gesture, just like that call that promise._

From there sprung bitterness.

"_Dude, do you have to wear that?" Wally said, pointing to his Nightwing suit during one of his increasingly rare visits._

"_Why wouldn't I?"_

"_Because-It… Never mind."_

And the major milestones were missed.

"_So can you come to graduation?" Dick asked and Wally could hear the excitement in his voice. He couldn't remember the last time he heard it._

"_Sorry, Dick, Paula has this thing she needs help with,"_

"… _Oh. Okay, it's fine… See you, Wally,"_

And then the blame grew.

"_He knows we don't want this, you shouldn't have to!"_

So when Wally West finally asked Dick Grayson what happened to being best friends he could only stare and say his word quietly.

"Priorities shifted and you didn't have room or time for a best friend. You made your choice, Wally, and I didn't question you. You didn't want me to."

And only as he left did Wally see what he missed and how it happened. He had made his choice without even knowing the question let alone the consequence and only now did he wish he had found option three.

**Well, here is where you yell at me. I was not happy with Wally when I wrote this, though there is another where I was even more miffed that will be published. Eventually. I will get my next chapter story up, though I am going on Trek for a little bit so look for it next week. And I have to decide which one as well. Well, please review, I guess? I'm kind of nervous about this one you see. Have a fantastic week,**

**SMM**


End file.
